Ticket Agent Removals Continued During 2016

In case you missed it, Amtrak continued to remove agents from its stations during the summer of 2016.

Here is a summary of those stations that lost their agents and the routes service.

Glenview, Illinois: Amtrak reached an agreement with Chicago regional commuter rail agency Metra to staff this station, which is served by Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service (Chicago-Milwaukee) and the Empire Builder (Chicago-Seattle/Portland).

The Amtrak announcement said that Metra agents will not be selling Amtrak tickets.

The waiting room will be open between 5:15 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Amtrak said those requiring ticketing or other assistance from Amtrak station personnel should use Chicago Union Station, 18 miles south of Glenview.

Homewood, Illinois: Although also a joint station with Metra, the ticket office has been closed.

The station waiting room will remain open and an Amtrak Quik-Track ticketing kiosk is located here. The waiting room also has vending machines and restrooms.

The waiting room will remain open until after the departure of the last train of the day, scheduled to be the southbound City of New Orleans.

The nearest Amtrak staffed station is Chicago Union Station, 24 miles north of Homewood.

Homewood is served by the Illini and Saluki (Chicago-Carbondale, Illinois) and the City of New Orleans (Chicago-New Orleans).

Port Huron, Michigan: Served by the Chicago-Port Huron Blue Water, the station waiting area will remain open from 11 p.m. until the departure of No. 356 the next morning to Chicago.

The waiting area has restrooms and vending machines, including a Quik-Trak ticketing kiosk.

Amtrak notes that parking at this station is limited.

Prince (Beckley), West Virginia: Served by the tri-weekly Chicago-New York Cardinal, the waiting room is open for all trains departures and arrivals.

As is standard at most stations with caretakers, the station opens 30 minutes before train time and remain open for 30 minutes after a train departs.

Removal of the Amtrak agent also meant that checked baggage and Amtrak Express service ended at Prince.

Wolf Point, Montana: Served by the Empire Builder, the waiting room will open at 11 a.m. and close at 5:30 pm or after the last train departs.

Removal of the ticket agent also ended checked baggage service here.

Rugby, North Dakota: Served by the Empire Builder, the station waiting room will continue to be open for all train arrivals and departures, although Amtrak did not specific the hours.

Checked baggage service has also ended here. The nearest staffed station is in Minot, North Dakota, located 39 miles west of Rugby.